He promised home repairs, specialized in break-ins, cops say

A Staten Island handyman was charged in a string of break-ins on the North Shore, but prosecutors stopped short today of saying they had locked up the notorious "North Shore Burglar."

Ronald Fanelli, 36, of Husson Street in Grant City, allegedly burglarized six North Shore homes and businesses after taking out an ad in a local publication that introduced himself as a "handyman" to meet property owners, according to a 21-count indictment filed today at state Supreme Court, St. George.

Fanelli is charged with five counts of second-degree burglary, four counts each of criminal mischief and petit larceny, two counts of grand larceny, one count each of burglary in the third degree, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar's tools, issuing a bad check and operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license.

Fanelli allegedly hit six homes in Concord, Rosebank, West Brighton, Grant City and Westerleigh in May and June, but prosecutors pointed out that the so-called "North Shore Burglar" struck at least 15 times in Westerleigh and West Brighton since mid-January.

"We are not officially calling [Fanelli] the 'North Shore Burglar,'" said William J. Smith, spokesman for the Staten Island District Attorney's Office.

"At this time there are additional burglaries [on the North Shore] that have not been linked to this defendant. We do not discount the possibility that there are other individuals involved in those burglaries," Smith added.

Smith noted "there are no indications" that Fanelli was operating in a burglary ring.